Colombian police visit U.S., train with Exeter officers

EXETER — Officers from the Exeter Police Department aren't the only ones walking the streets these days.

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By Jason Schreiber

seacoastonline.com

By Jason Schreiber

Posted Sep. 5, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Jason Schreiber

Posted Sep. 5, 2014 at 2:00 AM

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EXETER — Officers from the Exeter Police Department aren't the only ones walking the streets these days.

Twenty members of Colombia's national police force have been in town since late July and walked to the Exeter police station on Wednesday to meet local officers, tour the department and try out some equipment that was unfamiliar to them.

Exeter Police Chief Richard Kane said it was the largest group of officers to ever visit the police department.

"We all share the same common goals. It's about being professional. It's about being highly trained. It's about being respectful to people," he said.

The officers are members of the National Police of Colombia. They arrived July 20 for extensive training at SIG SAUER Academy in Epping. They're staying in Exeter during their training and will return to Colombia on Nov. 14.

Exeter Police invited the Colombian officers to stop by the station for a visit. Dressed in their olive green uniforms, the officers walked from their hotel on Portsmouth Avenue to the station and got a few stares from passersby.

But the officers were more curious about how Exeter Police do their jobs and the equipment they use.

They were particularly interested in some of the police department's technology, including the computer laptops in the cruisers and the new Harley-Davidson police motorcycle. Several took turns hopping on the bike with a helmet and posing for pictures.

Others unfamiliar with police Tasers agreed to get shocked for the experience. They took it in stride and encouraged fellow officers to give it a try.

Exeter Police also demonstrated the techniques they use when stopping vehicles and making arrests.

"We need to learn the best tactics and techniques to serve and protect our people because our people love peace, too. We need to learn the knowledge to compare and teach to our other police colleagues in our country," said Nilson Castillo, a Colombian police sergeant.

Castillo said the Exeter Police Department was the first they've visited since they arrived.

The Colombian officers want to "see all of the elements that enforcement has to defend the good people of this country."

"The people here have in their mind to live in peace. People understand the importance of obeying the laws and the work of the police officers," Castillo said.

Javier Londono, safety operations manager at Phillips Exeter Academy, has spent some time with the Colombian officers. He's also Colombian and met up with the officers three weeks ago when he heard that some of them wanted to play basketball. They didn't speak English very well and he agreed to help them out.

Londono has given them some perspective on the United States and the local area, and served as a translator during Wednesday's visit to the police department.

Colombian officers have enjoyed learning about American culture and said they feel safe here.

They described the people they've met here as "pleasant."

"They feel well treated," Londono said.

As a token of his appreciation following the visit to the police department, Colombian Police Superintendent Diego Hernandez also presented one of his challenge coins to Exeter Police Capt. Bill Shupe.

Alejandro Hernandez, another superintendent with the Colombian force, also handed Kane a challenge coin he earned while working in the intelligence division.